Giving Thanks Doesn't End Here

This is where I get serious and do my best to get in touch with your softer side.......as I take you don't memory lane. My memory lane.

Five years ago, most of us sat down to our usual Thanksgiving turkey dinner. Some of us probably were unfortunate enough to have strep-throat. Some others may have just had surgery or lost a love one. Not everyone had a great day.

This is a picture of my grandson Andrew five years ago, toasting his father, and giving thanks..to be alive. Andrew had just turned three, and was diagnosed with leukemia when he was two. You can read his story here. He didn't even have the "good" leukemia....yes there's a leukemia that they actually call the good one. Try telling that to any parent with a child diagnosed with any leukemia.

Tell that to Marey. Marey's teenage daughter Ali, was also diagnosed with leukemia. Fast forward five years and she is accomplishing so much with her life. You can read her story here.

Over the last five years, I have come to know hundreds of children with cancer. It pretty much became my life. I read Caringbridge Sites every night checking on kids. I can honestly say I have been to more funerals for children in those five years than all the ones for adults in my life.

Marey and Postcard Cindy, (a name she was given by a cancer dad she never met in person), have been holding fundraisers every Christmas season to help two families keep their heads above water while there child goes through bone marrow transplant. Even with the best insurance, some families travel cross Country, incurring housing and living expenses above and beyond the norm to save their child's life.

This year, they are holding a raffle over at Marey's blog, ELEMENTO-P . Go on over and check out the items being raffled off. There are some beautiful handcrafted items, and I personally made the one blanket which is similar to the ones I deliver to the Peds/Onc ward here in Central Texas for Christmas.

These are the two children Marey and Cindy are helping this year:

Ivan, a 17 year old man whose relapsed leukemia has sent him to transplant. He is at LPCH and is doing well. He is the oldest of 6 children and we would certainly love to help them out this season.

Austin is another relapsed 4 year old leukemia patient. He had 2 years of treatment, relapsed and is now going to transplant. You can read more about him at his site.

If you are still reading this....Thank you. Now go check out Marey's blog, and check back often for new items to be added. I have a link at the top of this page on the left.